This invention relates generally to grounds maintenance equipment and more particularly to a large capacity grass and leaf catcher for use with a rotary deck mower.
In the maintenance of lawns, parks, golf courses and other large grassy areas, mowing is normally carried out by deck type rotary mowers. The mower is typically pulled by a tractor and is driven by the power takeoff shaft of the tractor. In order to achieve a particularly attractive appearance, grass clippings, leaves and other debris are often picked up simultaneously with the mowing operation and deposited in a large capacity container which is subsequently dumped in another location to dispose of its contents.
The present invention is directed to a large capacity grass and leaf catcher which is attached to a rotary deck mower and pulled with the mower by a tractor. It is the primary goal of the invention to provide a grass and leaf catcher which functions in an improved manner compared to the units that have been available in the past.
More specifically, it is an important object of the invention to provide a grass and leaf catcher having a hopper which can be dumped by the operator while he remains seated in the tractor seat.
Another object of the invention is to provide a grass and leaf catcher having a hopper door which opens automatically when the hopper is tilted for dumping and closes automatically when the hopper is returned to its running position.
A further object of the invention is to provide a grass and leaf catcher which is towed along with the mower and yet can move up and down independently of the mower to facilitate travel over uneven terrain. This is accomplished by using a parallel arm linkage to connect the hopper with the mower. The ability of the hopper to float independently of the mower reduces the pulling force needed to pull the mower-hopper combination over uneven ground and thereby permits smaller tractors to be used.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a grass and leaf catcher having a fan which is driven by the mower. All other known units require a separate engine to power the fan which forces the grass clippings and leaves into the container, and the need for a separate engine increases the cost, complexity and maintenance requirements appreciably.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a grass and leaf catcher of the character described which is well suited for use in conjunction with mowers that vary widely in size and style.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a grass and leaf catcher of the character described which is highly maneuverable in order to permit the mower to closely trim around bushes, trees and other objects on the grounds.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a grass and leaf catcher which is simple and economical to construct and maintain.
In accordance with the invention, we provide a grass and leaf catcher which includes a large capacity hopper pivotally mounted on a carriage having a single ground engaging wheel. The carriage is connected to the mower deck by a parallel arm linkage which permits the mower and hopper to move up and down relative to and independently of one another to facilitate travel over rough ground and other uneven terrain.
The hopper has a hinged rear door which is latched closed when the hopper is in the running position. Another latch holds the hopper in its running position and can be released by pulling on a rope from the driver's seat of the tractor. The door and hopper latches are interconnected to be engaged and released in unison. When the hopper latch is released, the hopper is tilted to the rear to dump its contents, and a door opening linkage controlled by another rope automatically causes the hopper door to open as the hopper is tilted for dumping. When the hopper is raised again to the running position, both the door latch and the hopper latch engage automatically.
It is an important feature of the invention that the fan of the grass and leaf catcher is driven by the mower which is in turn driven by the power takeoff shaft of the tractor. The fan impeller is carried on a shaft which is driven by the mower shaft through a belt drive such that the fan is operated whenever the mower blades are rotated. This drive system eliminates the need for a separate gasoline engine to power the fan, and the expense and maintenace problems are reduced accordingly.